Yummy Inspirations

Three Quick and Healthy Kids Lunches

2013-05-24T07:30:00.000+10:00

This week has been a particularly busy week. Here are 3 lunches which I thought I'd share because they were all incredibly quick to put together, (often at the last minute!) yet pack a nutritional punch with every bite.

I'll start with a kinder lunch box for my oldest son. This lunch box consists of avocado sandwiches, watermelon, carrot sticks and organic sultanas dotted amongst the sandwiches.

This lunch was for my youngest, on a day when he was at home, so he enjoyed his special sesame street plate. The meal includes homemade popcorn and carrot, cheese and watermelon rabbits, cut using a rabbit cutter. I had just the 3 on his plate but there were more bunnies waiting in the wings for when he was ready for them. (where to find a rabbit cutter)

And finally, when both kids were home for lunch, I made french toast for them which I cut into triangles (their favorite shape!) dotted with a couple of cute food picks and served them with frozen peas and corn! Yes, frozen organic veggies, straight from the freezer. They love it! (where to find cute food picks)

I'd love to hear from you - did you prepare any speedy, healthy kids lunches through the week that you'd like to share? If you're a blogger, feel free to leave a link to your latest lunch in the comments - I'd love to see it!

Disclosure - this post contains affiliate links.

Berry Tea Cake

2013-05-23T08:48:00.000+10:00

The first time I made this Berry Tea Cake for the kids a while back, my 4 year old liked it so much that he asked if I'd please make it for his upcoming 5th Birthday! Could have just been the sugar talking, but this cake is so simple, yet sweet and berry-licious that I want it for my Birthday Cake too!

This cake is not going to win awards for it's appearance! It's a simple cake but one which is full of flavor.

Berry Tea Cake
Adapted from Women's Weekly Sweet Old Fashioned Favorites
60g Unsalted Butter, softened
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (where to find vanilla extract)
1/2 Cup Raw Sugar (where to find raw sugar)
1 Egg
1 Cup Unbleached Plain Flour (where to find unbleached plain flour)
1 teaspoon Aluminium Free Baking Powder (where to find alumiunium free baking powder)
1/3 Cup Milk
3/4 Cup Frozen Organic Berries

1. Preheat the oven to 180 and grease a small cake tin.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter, vanilla, sugar and egg together until smooth.
3. Sift the flour and baking powder over the cake batter.
4. Pour over the milk and mix the cake batter until well combined.
5. Lastly mix through the berries. As I prefer to use frozen berries, I like to crumble some of the berries into the batter so that the cake is dotted with berries in every corner.
6. Place the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

This cake is truly delicious just as it is, but if you like you could drizzle a little cream over the top for a little extra pizzazz!

Disclosure - this post contains affiliate links

When The Food Is Fun The Kids Will Want Some

2013-05-22T10:32:00.003+10:00

You know when you get a word, phrase or song stuck in your head, and it constantly "haunts" you.

Well, this phrase has been circulating over and over in my mind and I just have to get it out....

"When the food is fun the kids will want some. When the food is boring the kids are snoring."

So there you go! Silly, I know but that phrase was actually the inspiration for the post last week about fun food for kids!

Here's an example of fun food in action... Green beans are not usually a huge hit with the kids. So, I simply placed a Cute Food Pick into each green bean and, yes you guessed it, the kids polished off the whole plate in a matter of minutes...

It really was that simple. All it took was a few Cute Food Picks to make the food fun for the kids to want some!

What's been stuck in your head recently? Sharing may help "release" it...

Disclosure - this post contains affiliate links.

Peppermint Coconut Bark

2013-05-21T11:32:00.000+10:00

If you're a regular reader, you'll know that I have a weakness for sweet treats. I try and be responsible in my indulgences, making them myself and only using whole, natural ingredients. This Peppermint Coconut Bark is the perfect indulgence - chocolatey, coco-nutty and minty - what more could you want from a sweet treat?

An eBook which I refer to regularly for sweet treat inspiration is Smart Sweets - 30 Desserts To Indulge Your Sweet Tooth by Katie Kimball of Kitchen Stewardship. The book is full of delicious sweet treats, and these are just some of my favorites:

Fudgy Brownies
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Coconutty White Cake
Magic Coconut Pie
Dark Chocolate Truffles
Cherry Almond Crepes

Smart Sweets

Peppermint Coconut Bark

From Smart Sweets - 30 Desserts To Indulge Your Sweet Tooth

where to find coconut oil

where to find vanilla extract

where to find peppermint extract

where to find cocoa powder

where to find raw honey

where to find unsweetened shredded coconut

For 1 Week Only

Smart Sweets (which retails for $9.95) as well as the following 4 eBooks (that's 5 in total!) by Kitchen Stewardship for only $7.40 in total:

Click here to download your bundle now

Disclosure - this post contains affiliate links.

Real Food On A Budget - Meal Planning & Make A Shopping List

2013-05-20T07:11:00.003+10:00

Yesterday I announced that I'd agreed to the challenge to share 60 blog posts in the next 60 days. I asked in the blog post and on the Yummy Inspirations Facebook Page for what you, my readers, would like me to share. A few of you have asked for tips for food on a budget. You asked and now here you go - I'm going to be sharing a series of posts over the course of the 60 day challenge (and beyond) on providing your family with real food - on a budget.

I'm going to start with 2 important elements in shopping for real food on a budget - making a meal plan and a shopping list.

Being organized is key - it helps to follow a Menu Plan for the week, so you don't end up buying too much (or too little) food. You could even sit around the table with your family to plan out the week's meals so that all your family members feel listened to and have their say about what food they would prefer to eat.

As we recently followed The GAPS Diet and still enjoy Grain Free Meals through the week, I regularly refer to the meal plans from Grain Free Meal Plans by Health, Home and Happiness to help keep me organized and avoid being stuck for meal ideas.

Once your Meal Plan for the week is organized, you can get to the important step of making a shopping list. Leaving for the grocery store or farmers market without a shopping list is like going on a road trip without any a map or directions - it can be costly and leave you going around in circles!

Your first step can be to do a "stock-take" of what you already have in your house, so you don't end up with 20 tins of organic chopped tomatoes in your pantry (I've been guilty of that on WAY too many occasions!). While referring to your Menu Plan, review what food you already have and then make a list to fill in the blanks to help your family stay nourished until the next shopping trip.

Once you have your shopping list - be diligent in sticking to it and try and avoid being tempted to buy additional items on a whim. This will help keep you on budget and reduce any potential food wastage.

I'd love to hear from you. Please share whether you make a shopping list when you go food shopping or any other real food budget tips which you swear by.

Image Source

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60 Blog Posts In 60 Days Challenge

2013-05-19T11:02:00.000+10:00

Yes, you read right. I have agreed to take part in a (crazy!) challenge to post 60 blog posts in the next 60 days. I'm used to posting 3 times a week lately, so this is going to be a real challenge for me, but one I'm truly excited for.

So, you can expect all kinds of inspiration in the next 60 days, from recipes to information to my kids lunch boxes and meals (and maybe even a meal or two of mine!).

I'm also simultaneously working on two eBooks - Grain Free Pancakes and The Picky Eater Survival Guide so I may just throw some recipes/research into my blog posts too.

I'd seriously love to hear from you too - PLEASE let me know what YOU would like to read and I will be sure to include it in the 60 day challenge.Thank you!

12 Ways To Make Food Fun For Kids

2013-05-17T12:44:00.005+10:00

I'm sure you'll agree that getting kids to the table and actually eating their food can often prove to be a real struggle. However, when you make food fun, the kids will be more inclined to try and eat and maybe even enjoy what's on offer.

Don't be shy! Let your creative side run wild - present your kids with food which has fun patterns and different colors and they may even try foods which they wouldn't normally eat.

Here are 12 ways I make food fun for my kids to entice them to the table and get them to eat the nutritious food presented:

1. Present Food In Shapes - using mini cookie/vegetable cutters and cutting their vegetables, fruit and even cheese into stars and other shapes can really liven up their plate. In this plate there are cheese, red pepper/capsicum and cucumber stars. Plus I cut a star from a green apple and placed it back into the apple in reverse for a simple yet eye catching effect.

2. Egg Mold - shaping a hard boiled egg into a shape can turn this rich protein source into an appealing food item for kids. It's really simple to do, just click through for a step by step tutorial. The below egg is shaped into a fish which the kids always enjoy.

3. Food Picks - are not only a fun way to present food to kids, they are also a great learning tool to help kids with their fine motor skills. My kids often use food picks to carefully pick up individual peas.

4. Cute Cups - instead of placing food directly onto their plate you could use re-usable cups like the ones below. This is a simple way to add a bit of fun and color to their plate.

5. Muffin Tin Meals - when you present a meal to your kids in a muffin tin, it's incredible how much more they are likely to eat. They absolutely love it and have so much fun working their way through each compartment.

6. Kebabs - taking food they are less sure about and threading it on a kebab/skewer is a fun way to get through a meal. For example you could deconstruct their sandwich by threading bread, tomato and cheese in alternate layers on the kebab. They may try tomato if they have to get through it to get to the cheese!

7. Exploring Other Cultures - read books with your kids which explores food of different cultures and then go shopping for the ingredients and cook the food of other cultures together. A wonderful example to read is What The World Eats by Faith D'Aluisio which explores what 25 families from 21 countries from around the world eat in a week. You could also decorate the dining area with pictures and the flag of the country of the food you are cooking.

8. Fun Plate For Kids - these fun plates are a huge hit with my kids. They enjoy making funny faces with the help of their vegetables.

9. Fun Lunch Box - putting together a lunch box using a combination of fun techniques is a great way to get them to enjoy they meal. In this meal, I combined together favorites like popcorn, cheese and grapes while presenting less familiar (and less favored) foods - tomato and spinach. Even my picky oldest son couldn't resist picking the tomato flower, eating it and then replacing the tomato 3 more times. For him it was a fun game - for me it meant that this little fun tactic resulted in him eating his way through 4 tomatoes. 4 more than at other meals when the tomatoes were just popped on his plate on their own.

10. Chopsticks - maneuvering chopsticks can be a challenging and rewarding task for children. At first, encourage them to practice with chopsticks by picking up bigger pieces of fruit and vegetables before moving onto trikier foods like noodles and rice.

11. Special Cutlery - having special cutlery which helps the kids feel "grown up" and be independent at mealtimes.

12. Rainbows - displaying fruit and vegetables in a rainbow pattern is a simple and attractive way to entice the kids to eat their way through the rainbow of nutritious food.

I'd love to hear from you. Please share your tips for how you make food fun for your kids.

To create your own fun meals for your kids, these are some accessories which will help bring even more fun and color to your creations:

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Grain Free Berry Pancakes

2013-05-14T13:00:00.000+10:00

The past month or so, I've been busily working on recipes for an upcoming eBook and I feel it's about time that I spill the beans and share the details of this delicious project with you... in late June/early July I will be launching a Grain Free Pancakes eBook for you. At the moment I have over 30 Unique Grain Free Pancake Varieties and I'm adding more to the collection every day!

You guys are going to go crazy when you try some of these pancakes... just today I made a batch of Grain Free Lemon Delicious Pancakes which were luscious, lemony and so, so good. Over the weekend I made Grain Free Apple Pie Pancakes and Grain Free Chocolate Fudge Brownie Pancakes (which tasted JUST like a rich, chocolatey brownie!) - as I said - you guys are going to go crazy when you sample these pancakes!

You may be wondering why I'm still so determined to cook Grain Free recipes when we have Transitioned off The GAPS Diet. Well, I believe it's important to have a degree of balance in our diet. While we enjoy grainy foods like bread, pasta and rice, whenever I make sweet treats, I tend to lean towards making them grain free - for balance.

Now, onto these Grain Free Berry Pancakes... they were a favorite of ours while we were on The GAPS Diet and are essential for any Grain Free Pancake collection. They are sweet and moist and full of berry goodness! They are also perfect for kid's lunch boxes.

Grain Free Berry Pancakes

4 Eggs

1/3 Cup Coconut Milk (where to find coconut milk)

1 Tablespoon Raw Honey (where to find raw honey)

1/3 Cup Coconut Flour (where to find coconut flour)

½ Cup Berries (if frozen, thaw and drain to prevent soggy pancakes)

Coconut Oil for frying (where to find coconut oil)

1. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy.

2. Pour in the coconut milk and honey and beat until well combined.

3. Add the coconut flour and mix through until smooth.

4. Fold the berries through the pancake batter.

5. Heat a little coconut oil in a large frying pan/skillet. When hot, carefully drop a tablespoon per pancake into the frying pan/skillet.
6. When bubbles appear on the surface, carefully flip the pancake over, using a pancake flipper to help the pancakes hold their shape.
7. Cook until golden and cooked through on both sides.
8. Serve as is or topped with fresh berries.

Makes 10

To learn more about making Grain Free Pancakes, check out The Ultimate Guide To Grain Free Pancake Recipes.

Be sure to Subscribe To Receive Updates so that you don't miss out on any Grain Free Pancake Recipes or the launch of this must have eBook.

I'd love to hear from you - do you have any Grain Free Pancake Flavor suggestions which you'd like to see in the book? (If I use your flavor I'll be sure to send you a free copy when it's released to thank you for your inspiration!)

Disclosure - This Post Contains Affiliate Links

10 Free eBooks to Celebrate Mothers Day (Including Gluten Free, Organic Gardening & Baby Food eBooks)

2013-05-12T07:30:00.003+10:00

Happy Mothers Day! I hope you have a fantastic day with your family.

Maybe you've been spoiled to a Kindle (or you could treat yourself to one!) and so here are 10 Free eBooks to Celebrate Mothers Day. Note: These books are only free for a limited time (usually 24 hours), so if any of these titles interest you, I'd be clicking through to download them now:

1. 31 Gluten Free Cakes and Pies (Gluten Free Sweet Treats Series)

2. Easy Almond Flour Recipes - A Decadent Gluten-Free, Low-Carb Alternative To Wheat (The Easy Recipe)

3. Tasty Gluten-Free Recipes Collection: 30 Fast, Easy and Delicious Gluten-Free Breakfast Recipes For The Whole Family

4. Gluten Free eaters Breakfast recipes: an easy to cook, delicious morning meal

5. Easy Coconut Flour Recipes - A Decadent Gluten-Free, Low-Carb Alternative To Wheat (The Easy Recipe)

6. Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Cookbook: TOP 30 Super-Tasty Side Dish Recipes For a Gluten Free Lifestyle!

7. Delicious and Nutritious Gluten-Free Recipes: TOP 30 Gluten-Free Main Dish Recipes For More Energy And Amazing Health

8. RealSmart Baby Food

9. Organic Gardening Ideas Book

10. Essential Vegetables Box Set (4 Books in 1 Package): Organic Gardening with Tomatoes, Potatoes, Peppers, Eggplants, Broccoli, Cabbage, and More

I regularly share Amazon Freebies on my Facebook Page. Make sure you Follow Yummy Inspirations On Facebook so that you don't miss out on any upcoming freebies.

Remember - these books are only free for a limited time (usually 24 hours), so if any of these titles interest you, I'd be clicking through to download them now! If you don't have a kindle, then you can still download these books free when you Download a Free Kindle Reader.

I'd love to hear from you - do you have any Annual Mothers Day Rituals you'll be following today?

Disclosure - this post contains affiliate links.

The Ultimate Guide To Grain Free Pancake Recipes

2013-05-10T13:09:00.001+10:00

Through our time on The GAPS Diet, I prepared more batches of grain free pancakes than you can imagine!

I experimented with different flours and flavors and have developed a deeper appreciation for working with grain free flours as a result.

Lets start with a Guide to Grain Free Flours for Pancakes Recipes:

Coconut Flour - although coconut flour has a rich and coco-nutty aroma, it can be an incredibly temperamental flour to make pancakes with. As a general rule, when making pancakes with coconut flour, a quarter of a cup of coconut flour requires at least 4 eggs for perfect pancakes.

Depending on a number of factors such as the size of your eggs, the weather conditions and whether your coconut flour is freshly opened or a tiny bit stale, you may need to add an additional teaspoon or so of coconut flour, or an extra egg for the perfect pancake batter.

These Split Pea Pancakes include coconut flour in the recipe to help bind together and add incredible flavor to the pancakes.

These Banana and Coconut Pancakes are from my eBook The Grain Free Lunch Box and combine together the flavors of banana and coconut and are super moist and irresistible. I used Coconut Milk in these pancakes to ensure they didn't become too dry.

Almond Meal/Flour - you can purchase almond meal/flour or you can make your own by buying almonds and soaking them overnight before dehydrating them in a dehydrator or in your oven on the lowest temperature. Then you simply grind them until they are smooth.

An example of pancakes made with almond flour are these Carrot Pancakes, which are a delicious way to increase your kids vegetable intake.

Hazelnut Meal - for pancakes which have a more decadent flavor, you can't go past the inclusion of hazelnut meal. Unfortunately hazelnuts are one of the few foods which my Husband dislikes, so I have little practice with cooking with hazelnut meal, aside from the odd batch or two made for the kids.

Cashew Flour -I discovered that cashews could be ground to a flour and used for cashew pancakes. They are super simple to put together, in fact you only need two ingredients to make Cashew Pancakes.

Sunflower Seed Flour - sunflower seeds can be successfully ground into a flour and used in place of nut flours in grain free pancake recipes. Sunflower Seed Pancakes have more of a nutty flavor than pancakes made with a nut flour.

And a flour I have yet to try - Banana Flour - yes, you read right - Banana Flour! Here in Australia there is a new flour available which is made from 100% ground bananas. I literally just found out about this interesting ingredient yesterday and will be making pancakes with it at the first opportunity. I'll be sure to share the results with you.

Once you've selected your grain free flour, it takes a few kitchen essentials to prepare perfect pancakes:

Measuring Spoons and Cups - when preparing grain free pancakes, it's important to be as accurate as possible (especially with coconut flour) so sets of measuring cups and spoons come in handy.
Mixing Bowls - a bowl deep enough for whisking is essential when making pancakes.
Manual Whisk or Electric Whisk - depending on the batter you're preparing and your personal preference you may need a manual whisk or an electric whisk to produce perfect pancakes.
Frying Pan/Skillet - the right sized frying pan/skillet is needed to ensure that the pancakes have sufficient room to cook. The frying pan/skillet also has an impact on the finished product. I find that stainless steel yields the best results, and is also the safest cooking material for your family.
Pancake Flipper - it's important to have the right tool for flipping your pancakes to ensure that they don't fall apart when you flip them over.

Once you've made up your pancake batter and you're ready to cook your pancakes, the following are a couple of options to ensure that your grain free pancakes don't stick to your frying pan/skillet:
Butter - unsalted butter ensures the pancakes don't become too salty and means that you can add salt at the table if you're making savory pancakes.
Ghee - clarified butter which has had the potentially troublesome milk solids removed.
Coconut Oil - coconut pancakes cooked in coconut oil is simply divine!

Here are a few of the grain free pancake recipes I've shared on the blog:
2 Ingredient Cashew Pancakes
Split Pea Pancakes
Carrot Pancakes

You'll love these Grain Free Pancake Recipes from a selection of my favorite bloggers:
Grain Free Coconut Flour Pancakes from Nourishing Minimalism
Grain Free Banana Chocolate Chips Pancakes from The Mommypotamus
Organic Flourless Peanut Butter & Jelly Pancakes from Whole Life Nutrition
The Perfect Grain Free Pancakes from Naturally Mindful
Grain Free Banana Pancakes from Homemade Mommy
Grain Free (And Dairy Free) Fluffy Coconut Flour Pancakes from Nourishing Days
Banana Pancakes from The Well Fed Homestead
Coconut Flour Pumpkin Pancakes from The Well Fed Homestead
Grain Free Mickey Mouse Pancakes from Real Food RN
No Grains Vanilla Chai Pancakes from Primally Inspired
Sweet Potato Pancakes from Traditional Foods & Natural Home
Banana Spice Pancakes (Grain Free) from Healy Real Food Vegetarian
Paleo Pancake Recipe from Kelly The Kitchen Kop
Halloween Pancakes from Kelly The Kitchen Kop
Delicious Paleo Flapjacks Recipe from Nourished For Free
Coconut Flour Pancakes with Gelatin from Empowered Sustenance
Kefir Banana Pancakes from The Polivka Family

Now the only thing left to do is decide which Grain Free Pancakes to enjoy first!

I'd love to hear from you - please share your tips for preparing Grain Free Pancakes in the comments.

Sharing at: Sunday School;

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Banana Bread French Toast

2013-05-07T13:53:00.002+10:00

We absolutely LOVE French Toast of all variations in our family. This Banana Bread French Toast is the result of a conversation with the kids. They were enjoying their ordinary french toast and I was chatting about what they would like on top. My 4 year old told me he wanted banana INSIDE his French Toast! So I promised him that the next time I made him French Toast I'd cook the Banana INTO them.

So, the first time I made these for the kids and my 4 year old took his first bite of his Banana Bread French Toast and realised that there was actually Banana INSIDE his French Toast, he smiled a smile so broad that it melted this Mama's heart!

Usually Banana Bread is used in a Banana Bread French Toast, but cooking mashed banana into the french toast batter saves you the effort of making banana bread from scratch and it tastes just about as good as if you'd used banana bread!

Banana Bread French Toast
1/4 Cup Mashed Banana (from 1 small banana)
3 Eggs
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
4 Pieces Sourdough Bread
Butter or Coconut Oil for frying

1. In a large bowl mix together the mashed banana, eggs and cinnamon until well combined.
2. Dip the bread into the french toast batter, flipping each piece over until the batter is soaked through.
3. Heat a little butter or coconut oil in a large frying pan.
4. When hot, place the french toast into the frying pan and cook until golden and cooked through on both sides.
5. Serve topped with fresh banana and raw honey or maple syrup.

Makes 4 Banana Bread French Toast

This Banana Bread French Toast would make a perfect weekend breakfast treat for the whole family! I'd love to hear from you. Please share your favorite way to enjoy French Toast in the comments.

Sharing at: Sunday School;

Disclosure - This Post Contains Affiliate Links

Grain Free Cheesy Eggplant Chips & Giveaway Winner Announced

2013-05-05T08:01:00.001+10:00

Are you a diligent recipe follower or do you prefer to wing it? Do you get a thrill from being inspired by ingredients and flavor combinations and set about to create masterpieces in your kitchen? There is a sense of accomplishment and achievement when you pull together an array of ingredients and produce a dish that your family loves.

That's why I love the premise of the book The Flavor Thesaurus - A Compendium of Pairings, Recipes and Ideas for the Creative Cook by Niki Segnit. It's no ordinary cook book. It's packed full of interesting, well researched and unusual flavor pairings I would never have thought of. No matter your cooking skills, you will be inspired by The Flavor Thesaurus.

The Flavor Thesaurus also includes imaginative descriptions of the combinations and the ingredients themselves. I just love her description of picking a Ripe Eggplant/Aubergine:

"Ideally an Aubergine should be as tight and shiny as dolphin skin. Similarly, they should squeak when you pinch them."

Pairings which have intrigued me in The Flavor Thesaurus include:

Rhubarb and Lamb
Beef and Cinnamon
Hazelnut and Chicken
Potato and Peanut
Chocolate and Coconut
Coffee and Ginger
Goat Cheese and Apricot
Avocado and Mango

Eggplant(Aubergine) and Cheese are a further pairing and the inspiration behind this recipe - Grain Free Cheesy Eggplant Chips. I remember seeing the dish on a couple of restaurant menus and thinking the kids would love them. I had a bit of fun experimenting with this flavor combination until I got it just right.

I chose to make the Cheesy Eggplant Chips Grain Free as we recently transitioned off The GAPS Diet and I prefer to include as many Grain Free dishes in our meals as possible.

This recipe is just another fun way to get your kids to eat more vegetables.

Note - You may need more or less flour, Parmesan and eggs depending on the size of your eggplant. As I mention in the recipe - I prefer to use stainless steel tongs to safely turn the chips and ensure they are cooked evenly.

Grain Free Cheesy Eggplant Chips
Inspired by The Flavor Thesaurus by Niki Segnit
1 Medium Eggplant
2 Eggs
1 and 1/2 Cup Almond Flour (where to find almond flour)
6 Tablespoons Parmesan
Salt and Pepper To Taste
Oil for frying, I used Coconut Oil (where to find coconut oil)

1. Cut the eggplant into chip sized pieces.
2. Prepare for the crumbing process by beating the eggs in a bowl and in a 2nd bowl mix together the almond flour, Parmesan and salt & pepper to taste.
3. Dip each eggplant chip into the beaten egg and then roll it in the almond/parmesan flour until completely coated.
4. Place the coated eggplant chips onto a plate and repeat the process until all of the eggplants are crumbed.
5. Once the eggplant chips are ready, heat the oil in a large frying pan.
6. When the oil is hot, carefully place the eggplant chips into the oil and fry, turning frequently, until golden on each side. I prefer to use stainless steel tongs to safely turn the chips and ensure they are cooked evenly.
7. You may need to cook the chips in batches depending on the size of your pan.
8. Serve as is or with tomato sauce, sour cream or mashed avocado for dipping. You could also top the Cheesy Eggplant Chips with fresh Parmesan if you want them to be EXTRA cheesy!

And now to announce the winner of the Mothers Day Giveaway of a $25 Amazon Gift Card. The winner is..........Jamaise W. Congratulations Jamaise! Please email me yummyinspirations at gmail dot com with your full name and email to claim your prize.

Sharing at - Butter Believer; Natural Living Monday; Better Mom Mondays; Homestead Barn Hop; Plucky's Link Up; Mop It Up Monday; Marvelous Mondays; Hey What's For Dinner Mom?; Market Yourself Monday; My Meatless Mondays;
Allergy Free Wednesdays;

Disclosure - this post contains affiliate links.

April Inspiration

2013-05-01T19:09:00.003+10:00

I enjoyed the process of putting together March's Inspiration last month that I thought I'd do the same again for April!

In case you missed the exciting announcement the other day about my upcoming book, then here are all the details once again:

Now that the dust has settled on the launch of my eBook (The Grain Free Lunch Box), I've started writing... The Picky Eater Survival Guide (due for release late 2013).

I'm now finally putting pen to paper, bringing to life the book I always wanted to read while struggling with my picky eater and am so excited to be bringing this to you. The book will be full of techniques to feed a picky eater - no matter how picky, you will find ways to provide your kids with a nourishing diet full of nutrient dense food.

Here's a taste of what's been inspiring me through April:
Zucchini Lasagna from Living Low Carb One Day At A Time
Kiwifruit Shortbread from Girl Meets Nourishment
Chocolate Chip Buckwheat Sourdough Pancakes from Our Heritage Of Health
Chocolate Avocado Mousse from Creative Simple Life
Homemade Healthy Kombucha Fruit Snacks from Homemade Mommy
31 Ways To Use Lemon Peel from Thank Your Body
Homemade Magic Shell Chocolate Sauce from Hands On Learning 4 All
Parmesan Drumsticks from The Well Fed Homestead
Whole Wheat Biscuits from The Elliott Homestead
Homemade Tallow Balm from The Shepherd's Farm
Homemade Orange Vanilla Body Spray from We Like Making Our Own Stuff
Top 15 Coconut Oil Skin Recipes from The Nourished Life

April was a busy month on the blog. Here's a recap of some of the posts I shared with you:
2 Ingredient Cashew Pancakes
12 Unique Ways To Get Your Kids To Eat Cauliflower
Chicken & Pumpkin Bake
Homemade Applesauce & 10 Ways To Use It
40 Healthy Kids Snack Ideas
Grain Free Fish Nuggets
Transitioning Off The GAPS Diet
Should You Hide Vegetables In Other Foods For Kids?

Book I've Loved In April:
Real Food For Real Life by Emily Benfit of Butter Believer. I seriously love this book! If you want to learn techniques for making the transition to a real food diet for you and your family as painless as possible - then this is the book for you! For a limited time Save 20% with the Code SAVE20 - Click Here To Order Your Copy Now.

What's been your highlight for the month of April? Learn something new? I'd love to hear from you!

Should You Hide Vegetables In Other Food For Kids?

2013-04-30T10:32:00.000+10:00

There are pros and cons of hiding vegetables and other less attractive ingredients in more popular foods for kids. It's a trick I've employed countless times and I wanted to share the positive and negative aspects to following this deceptive tactic.

There are some negatives to hiding vegetables...

Before I share a couple of ways I've hidden vegetables, I thought I'd highlight some of the negative consequences of this technique.

The vegetables being sneakily hidden means that they aren't actually learning about the taste and texture of the vegetables in their true form.

If baked treats are a "sometimes food" and all of a sudden they are being presented with more and more baked treats just to get them to eat a serve of broccoli then this isn't really sending a positive message about healthy eating!

I overcome these negatives by ensuring that a serve of fresh vegetables is presented along side the hidden ones. Sometimes they will eat both, sometimes only the hidden version, but at least they are being presented with the vegetable and encouraged to taste it. I like to chat with them about what the food feels like and tastes and what special powers the specific vegetable will give them - bigger muscles, be able to run faster, or whatever task they are interested in at that specific time. Maybe that's also a little sneaky, but I believe it does help them to understand that there is a strong connection between the food that they eat and the activities they want to perform.

Also, I hide vegetables less in baked treats and more in savory dishes (as you'll see below), which is when they would usually be eaten.

The Benefits Of Hiding Vegetables

For extremely fussy children, sometimes the ONLY way to nourish them properly is to hide vital ingredients in food that they love.

You can seriously broaden their intake of vegetables by hiding a portion or two in other foods without the nagging and arguments which often accompany kids being presented with vegetables.

These are just some of my more popular ways of getting the kids to eat more vegetables:

Roast Zucchini Sandwich Spread - I hid Zucchini in a spread for the kids sandwiches.

Spinach & Avocado Spread - the kids LOVE Avocado, so I pureed a handful of spinach leaves into the avocado to increase their leafy green intake.

By concealing the spread within sandwiches and serving them in a cute muffin the meal (below) that delights the kids they happily ate through this meal. I also included cucumber stars and apples cut into bears using mini vegetable cutters.

To recreate the Avocado and Spinach Sandwich Spread and Muffin Tin Meal, you'll need:

Veggie Scrambled Eggs - 6 Ways - I've successfully hidden 6 different vegetables in scrambled eggs for the kids. It's simply a matter of mixing the vegetables through the batter (zucchini in the below picture) and cooking it for the kids.

It's not just vegetables I've hidden. My main area for concern with my picky eater has always been protein. I've resorted to hiding protein (in particular red meat) in some of his favorite foods in order to increase his red meat intake. My Burger French Toast Recipe is the perfect example of this.

Now you're aware of some of the pros and cons, what do you think about the the tactic of hiding vegetables in other food for kids?

Now for an exciting announcement - now that the dust has settled on the launch of my eBook (The Grain Free Lunch Box), I've started writing the next eBook... The Picky Eater Survival Guide (due for release late 2013) - where I will be sharing the challenges and triumphs of feeding an extremely picky eater in a book I've been composing in my mind for a number of years now. My almost 5 year old has been picky since weaning and the entire inspiration behind my blog - I was inspired to get him to say "yummy" which is the meaning behind the name of my blog.

I'm now finally putting pen to paper, bringing to life the book I always wanted to read while struggling with my picky eater and am so excited to be bringing this to you. The book will be full of techniques to feed a picky eater - no matter how picky, you will find ways to provide your kids with a nourishing diet full of nutrient dense food.

As the book is still a work in progress, I'd love to hear from you - please share your picky eater dilemma in the comments (or feel free to email me if you'd prefer to be private) and I will attempt to explore your dilemma in The Picky Eater Survival Guide. Subscribe To Receive Updates so that you're keep in the loop as the book progresses.

Sharing at: Fat Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show; Allergy Free Wednesdays; Butter Believer; Natural Living Monday; Better Mom Mondays; Homestead Barn Hop;

Disclosure - this post contains affiliate links.

Mothers Day Gift Guide and Giveaway

2013-04-28T08:37:00.000+10:00

Mothers Day is 2 Weeks Away and if you're on the hunt for a perfect gift for your Mother, then here is a collection of ideas to help you:

Zoku Quick Pop Maker - A fun an unique way to make frozen treats.

Frozen Yoghurt, Sorbet and Ice Cream Maker- Give the gift of ice cream! Your Mum can create flavors to her hearts content.

The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz - The ultimate collection Ice Cream recipes.

The Flavor Thesaurus by Niki Segnit - This is an interesting book which outlines interesting flavor combinations and the reasons behind them. It's a unique book for the Mum who loves to cook and has an overflowing cookbook collection.

Apples For Jam by Tessa Kiros -This is a gorgeous book full of inspiration on every page.

Organics To Go Kit - every Mum deserves a little pampering!

Organic Nail Kit - Another way to pamper your Mum!

I know how hard you work all year so you may even want to treat yourself to a Mothers Day gift or two - you certainly deserve it, don't you!

Now for the Giveaway. I'm giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky reader.

To Enter You Must:

1. Click Here to Subscribe to receive email updates. (Your details will not be shared or sold and you can un-subscribe at any time) Remember to click the confirmation link in the email you receive when you subscribe. Note that I will be double-checking that the winner has a confirmed subscription!

2. Enter the giveaway using the widget below. You can earn bonus entries into the Giveway by following me on Facebook and Twitter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck! I'd love to hear from you - what gift do you have planned for Mothers Day?

Disclosure - this post contains affiliate links.

Transitioning Off The GAPS Diet

2013-04-26T11:43:00.000+10:00

Recently we began very slowly transitioning off of The GAPS Diet.

Although The GAPS Diet Book suggests waiting for at least 6 months free from symptoms before progressing off of the diet, we transitioned off of it a little early because we felt it was time.

We've seem tremendous progress with our various health issues and My Husband and I felt in our gut (no pun intended!) that it was time to move on. None of our issues had been severe to begin with, they were all minor health issues which were quickly healed.

We agreed that we would VERY slowly introduce soaked grains and watch closely for any signs of slipping backwards before continuing on with adding more Non-GAPS foods.

Our first taste of grains was Buckwheat Pancakes. I soaked and dehydrated raw buckwheat groats, then ground some into a flour which was mixed with eggs and cooked into pancakes. I made one batch of pancakes and we each had just a couple, spread with a generous portion of butter to aid digestion, as suggested in The GAPS Diet Book.

We had a couple of grain free days to watch for any reaction from the buckwheat pancakes, and to our delight, there was NONE. Mr 2's eczema did not show up in any way, shape or form and we did not have any digestive issues.

So, I made the Buckwheat Pancakes a couple more times and once I felt that we had had our fill of pancakes, I decided to try us on bread, glorious bread!

I decided to go for a 100% Spelt Sourdough Loaf as our first taste of bread. Again, we started SLOWLY by sharing one piece of bread and watching for any reactions. And, once again, there were no reactions to the Spelt Sourdough. I make sure that each family member has no more than a couple of pieces of bread a day and that seems to agree with us all well. We used to be bread addicts - a couple of pieces for breakfast and lunch and maybe one in between.

At breakfast I tend to make a batch of GAPS Pancakes and our meal includes both pancakes and a piece of bread, so we don't get tempted to fall into the trap of over-dosing on bread again. Spelt Sourdough is just so dense and nourishing that just a piece at a meal is more than enough to feel satisfied, when eaten along with a couple of grain free pancakes.

I see our future meals consisting of a balance of grain free and nourishing, soaked grains, adjusting as necessary if we see any reactions occurring.

Initially I didn't alter the kids Lunch Boxes. I felt more comfortable being around them when they were consuming grains, to watch closely for any reactions. So, I sent them off to kinder with Grain Free Lunch Boxes. Once I was completely sure that they were coping well with bread, I started incorporating sandwiches back into their lunch boxes. I now supply them with a combination of bread and grain free options, providing them with an overall balanced and nourishing lunch box.

We're now eating a fully Non-GAPS Diet and have not experienced any negative reactions. All food we have been enjoying has been lovingly homemade (by me!) and free from highly processed foods and ingredients. I've been working my way through cookbooks like Nourishing Traditions and experimenting with different dishes, which I'll be sharing with you in due course.

I'd love to hear from you. Have you transitioned off The GAPS Diet? Please share your experience in the comments.

More GAPS Diet Information:
To GAPS Or Not To GAPS
GAPS Diet Preparation
GAPS Introduction Diet Stage 1
GAPS Introduction Diet Stage 2
GAPS Introduction Diet Stage 3
GAPS Introduction Diet Stage 4
GAPS Introduction Diet Stage 5
GAPS Introduction Diet Stage 6

Disclaimer - this post should not be treated as medical advice. It is meant for informational purposes only - please consult with your health professional if you have any concerns for the health of you or your family. Thank you.

Sharing at: The Creative Homeacre; Natural Living Monday; Better Mom Mondays; Homestead Barn Hop; Lunchbox Love;

Disclosure - this post contains affiliate links.

Grain Free Fish Nuggets

2013-04-24T16:14:00.003+10:00

This Fish Nugget Recipe is from my book "The Grain Free Lunch Box". The kids absolutely adore them and they have become such a firm family favorite that I felt it only fair to share the recipe with you.

The kids go crazy for these nutty, crunchy Fish Nuggets.

I find that a day in the fridge gives them a milder fishy taste, which makes them even more easily eaten by a picky eater.

Note: I haven’t specified quantities for the flour, egg or seeds because it depends on the size of your fish fillet. I use small plates and cover the bottom with the flour or seeds and beat 1 egg in a large bowl and top up as need be.

Grain Free Fish Nuggets Recipe

From The Grain Free Lunch Box
1 White Fish Fillet (Ideally Local, Wild, Fresh and Sustainable)
Coconut Flour

Egg/s
Sesame Seeds
Coconut Oil, for frying

1. Cut the fish into bite sized pieces, ensuring there are no bones present.
2. Get prepared for the crumbing process by laying out a plate with the coconut flour, a bowl with the beaten egg and a plate with the sesame seeds.
4. First place each nugget in the flour to coat, then dip in the egg and finally roll it around in the sesame seeds to crumb completely.
5. Once crumbed, place the nuggets on a plate in the fridge for half an hour. The extra fridge time helps the nuggets to "set" in their coating.
6. Heat a little coconut oil in a large frying pan and, when hot, place the fish nuggets in the frying pan and cook until golden on both sides and cooked through.

Makes 10 to 12 Nuggets

Sharing at: Allergy Free Wednesdays; Butter Believer; Fat Tuesday;

Disclosure - this post contains affiliate links.

40 Healthy Kids Snack Ideas

2013-04-22T07:14:00.001+10:00

No matter how much the kids eat at mealtimes, it seems (with mine at least) that they always ask for food between meals. Well it's not a wonder with the amount of activity they do - they need a nutritious snack to help keep their energy levels up and keep them focused on their play activities.

I've compiled 40 Healthy Kids Snack Ideas to keep the kids fully energized between meals. Each snack idea packs a wholesome nutritional punch.

I've included some of my best loved kids snack idea recipes and those from some of my favorite bloggers... enjoy!

Carb Intensive Snack Ideas
These healthy kids snack ideas are deeply nourishing and nutritious instead of providing empty carb calories in a processed, carb-loaded snack:

Grain Free Hazelnut Cake
Potato and Leek Hash Browns
Homemade Popcorn
Sourdough Pretzel Bites with Probiotic Honey Mustard from Nourishing Joy
Apple & Oatmeal Crumble Bars from Nourishing Joy
Cranberry Orange Sourdough Muffins from Nourishing Joy
Grain Free Banana Bread from Small Footprint Family
Cheesy Garlic Popcorn from We Like Making Our Own Stuff
Frozen Granola Bars from Oh Lardy!

Healthy Protein Snack Ideas
When there's a longer wait until the next meal, these healthy snacks could double as a mini meal:

Raw Citrus Brownies
Date, Almond & Cranberry Balls
Pistachio Cookies
Cashew Pancakes
Burger French Toast
Honey Roasted Chickpeas
Chicken Nuggets and Probiotic Barbecue Sauce from Nourishing Joy
Dukkah from Nourishing Joy
Black Bean Brownies from Thank Your Body
Raw Power Energy Bars from Small Footprint Family

Delicious Dairy Snack Ideas
Some simple snacks include dairy in it's purest forms - a glass of milk, a bowl of yoghurt or a few pieces of cheese, or you could prepare one of the following dairy snack ideas:

Yoghurt Fruit Leather from Thank Your Body
Mango Berry Frozen Yoghurt Popsicles from Thank Your Body
Super Creamy Buttermilk Chocolate Milk from Earth Friendly Goodies

Fun Fruit Snack Ideas
A piece of fruit is quite simply the quickest and easiest natural snack available. Keeping plenty of fresh fruit available for snacking means there will always be something nutritious and delicious close to hand. If you want to be a little more creative, then go ahead and try these fun fruit snack ideas:

Instant Raspberry Ice Cream
Homemade Applesauce
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bananas from The Polivka Family.
Homemade Banana Chips from The Polivka Family
Homemade Healthy Fruit Snacks from Thank Your Body
Dried Mangoes from Thank Your Body
Probiotic Fruit Gummy Candies from Small Footprint Family
Lacto-Fermented Orange Jello from Oh Lardy!
Lacto-Fermenred Berries from Oh Lardy!

Healthy Vegetable Snack Ideas
You all know I'm always on the lookout to get my kids to eat more vegetables, so these fun kids snack ideas do the trick perfectly!

Banana and Sweet Potato Treat
Split Pea Pancakes
Grain Free Pumpkin Fritters
Green Smoothie Recipe from Earth Friendly Goodies
Babaganoush from And Here We Are
Pumpkin Pie Fruit Leather from We Like Making Our Own Stuff

Coconut Snack Ideas
Coconut in all it's forms is a nutritious ingredient that's loaded with nourishing fats to keep the kids energy levels up.

Lemon Coconut Delights from Whole Natural Life
Coconut Berry Delights from Whole Natural Life
Homemade Coconut Milk Yoghurt from Small Footprint Family

I'd love to hear from you. Please share your most loved Healthy Kids Snack Ideas in the comments.

These are some of my favorite Bento Supplieswhich help me with my healthy snack preparation:

Sharing at: Allergy Free Wednesdays; Butter Believer; The Creative Homeacre; Natural Living Monday; Better Mom Mondays; Homestead Barn Hop; Lunchbox Love; Tuesday Talent Show; Plucky's Link Up; Mop It Up Monday; Marvelous Mondays; Hey What's For Dinner Mom?; Market Yourself Monday; My Meatless Mondays; Tuesday Tots;

Disclosure - this post contains affiliate links.

HUGE eBook Bundle - 30 eBooks for $39 - 1 Week Only

2013-04-17T18:45:00.002+10:00

I'm so excited to share this HUGE eBook Bundle with you. In this eBook Bundle you'll get a whopping 30 eBooks for $39. If you were to buy each of these books individually it would cost you nearly $500!

This small investment will pay HUGE Dividends in improving the health and wellness of you and your family.

When you Download The eBook Bundle, you'll be able to learn, be inspired and cook from ALL of these amazing 30 eBooks:

For the price of 2 or 3 of these inspiring eBooks you will be getting ALL 30 - with each eBook costing you just $1.30.

I'm honored to have my eBook included in this bundle, alongside authors and bloggers I admire and have been tremendously inspired by.

If you've been coveting my new eBook The Grain Free Lunch Box and waiting for a good reason to buy, then you couldn't get any better than this. For $24.95 you can download my eBook or for a little extra you will get 30 eBooks! I'm sure you'll agree that you couldn't get a better deal than that.

You don't want to miss this opportunity! This Huge Spring eBook Bundle of 30 eBooks for $39 is only available until the 23rd April 2013.

Click here to download your eBook Bundle Now.

Disclosure - This Post Contains Affiliate Links.

Homemade Applesauce & 10 Ways To Enjoy It

2013-04-14T08:56:00.000+10:00

My fruit bowl has been overflowing with Apples lately. So I've been thinking - when life gives you apples make Homemade Applesauce!

You may be thinking, why would I make applesauce when I can buy jarred applesauce instead. Well, as with other homemade goods - making it yourself means you know exactly what's in your applesauce. You can be sure that it doesn't include added sugars, preservatives and other nasty ingredients found in store bought apple sauce.

My kids adore apples in all their forms. In fact, while attempting to photograph the apples needed for the recipe, my 2 year old climbed up to the table and stole one from the display...

Luckily I had already taken a couple of photos before he got his little hands on one of the apples!

I've kept the applesauce plain and simple with no sugar or other additions. That way you can use the finished product for any of the 10 uses which follow the recipe. You could add a teaspoon of cinnamon or a little sugar or lemon juice if you would like to flavor or sweeten your homemade applesauce.

Homemade Applesauce
1kg/8 Medium Apples, peeled, cored and diced
1/3 Cup Water

1. Place the apples and water in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring up to the boil and when boiling reduce the heat and simmer gently.
3. Stir regularly to help break up the apple.
4. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the applesauce reaches your desired consistency.
5. Allow to cool then puree or sieve the applesauce if you want it to be smooth, otherwise keep it as it is and pour into sterilized jars. Store in the fridge.

Makes 2 Cups

Now that you've made your Homemade Applesauce, here are 10 ways to enjoy your bounty:

1. As a sweet dip for vegetables.

2. Mixed through plain, natural yoghurt.

3. As a replacement for sugar in baked treats.

4. As a replacement for butter/oil in baked treats.

5. As a replacement for eggs in baked treats.

6. Spread on pancakes.

7. Spread on sandwiches.

8. As a relish for burgers.

9. Mixed into a smoothie.

10. As a dip for homemade fritters.

I'd love to hear from you. How do you use applesauce?

Back To School Giveaway & Save $15 - 5 Days Only

2013-04-11T07:08:00.000+10:00

My kids head back to school next week after a 2 week break and I've started planning their back to school lunch box menu with the help of my newly launched eBook - The Grain Free Lunch Box.

To help ease you back into school The Grain Free Lunch Box is 60% off for 5 days only. Instead of $24.95, you can Download The Grain Free Lunch Box now for Only $9.95 - that's a saving of $15! Simply enter the code Back2School for your 60% saving.

Here is a sample of some of the 50+ Grain, Gluten, Dairy, Nut & Refined Sugar Free Recipes which are all included in The Grain Free Lunch Box:

Chicken Nuggets
Chicken with Zucchini Noodles
Naked Burrito
Fish Nuggets
Banana & Coconut Pancakes
Beetroot Chips
Pumpkin Fritters
Raspberry Muffins
Lemon & Coconut Cake
Pumpkin & Coconut Cookies
Fig & Coconut Cookies
Banana & Coconut Bread
And Many, Many More!

The Grain Free Lunch Box is not just for those with kids with food allergies - it's full of essential strategies (and printables!) to help you make Lunch Box Preparation a Breeze.

If that wasn't enough I'm also giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky Yummy Inspirations reader.

To Enter You Must:

1. Click Here to Subscribe to receive email updates. (Your details will not be shared or sold and you can un-subscribe at any time) Remember to click the confirmation link in the email you receive when you subscribe. Note that I will be double-checking that the winner has a confirmed subscription!

2. Enter the giveaway using the widget below. You can earn bonus entries into the Giveway by following me on Facebook and Twitter.

Enter The Giveaway

Good Luck!

I'd love to hear from you - please share your lunch box preparation tips in the comments.

Don't miss out! Click here to download your copy of The Grain Free Lunch Box now. You only have until Monday to save 60% with the code Back2School.

Disclosure - this post contains affiliate links.

Chicken & Pumpkin Bake

2013-04-09T19:09:00.002+10:00

I've cooked this Chicken and Pumpkin Bake at least once a week (sometimes more!) over the past few months. So I thought it was about time I shared it with you. It's a simple and hearty dish which the kids absolutely adore. They especially like when I include chicken drumettes as they are the perfect size for their little hands to hold and feel all grown up!

To put together the Chicken & Pumpkin Bake you simply place chopped pumpkin in a baking dish (I prefer to leave the peel on mine but you could peel yours if you prefer)...

Followed by carrots and onions...

The vegetables are topped with the chicken pieces, salt & pepper to taste and then chicken stock is poured over the dish before it goes into the oven to cook.

Told you it was a simple dish!

The kids LOVE this dish. They call it "crispy chicken" and the mere mention of it gets them excited for dinner. The chicken itself draws the kids in, but sometimes I like to put together a cute bento inspired plate to make mealtimes a little more exciting.

For this mealtime I pulled out my Bento Supplies and used a mini teddy cutter on the cucumber slices and topped the carrot and pumpkin pieces with animal food picks. The 3 crispy chicken drumettes were clearly the star of the show and what the kids went for first.

Chicken & Pumpkin Bake
1kg Chicken Drumettes
500g to 1kg Pumpkin Or Butternut Pumpkin
1 Onion
2 Medium Carrots
Salt & Pepper To Taste
1 to 1.5 Cups Homemade Chicken Stock

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
De-seed and Chop the pumpkin, onion and carrots and place in an oven safe dish.
Place the chicken drumettes on top of the vegetables and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour over the chicken stock.
Place in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven, turn chicken pieces over and return to the oven for 25 to 35 minutes or until cooked through and golden.

Serves 4

This has been our favorite weeknight dinner over the past couple of months. I'd love to hear from you - what dinner have your family been loving over and over lately.

Sharing at: What's for lunch Wednesday;

Disclosure - this post contains affiliate links.

10 Free Gluten Free eBooks

2013-04-07T08:12:00.000+10:00

I just love how every time I check Amazon there are more and more free eBooks on offer in the Gluten Free/Organic/Real Food Genre.

I regularly share the freebies I find on my Facebook Page, and the other week I put together a post as well. There are just so many incredible books available at the moment that I felt the need to share another post full of freebies (and none are repeated from last time!). These books are only free for a limited time (usually 24 hours), so if any of these titles interest you, I'd be clicking through to download them now!

1.The Doctor's Ice Cream: 20 Healthy, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Low-Fat, All Natural, Ice Cream Recipes (Moan Inducing Raw Vegan Recipes)

2. Coconut Flour: The Ultimate Collection - Over 50 Delicious Gluten Free Recipes

3. Quick and Easy Coconut Flour Recipes: 20 Easy Baking Recipes for Every Occasion

4. Gluten Free-Easy - Tasty Easy Gluten Free Recipes

5. Cooking with Almond Flour: Irresistible and Easy-to-Follow Recipes Perfect for Paleo, Gluten Free, and Celiac Diets!

6. Easy-As Recipes: 14 Day Gluten-Free Meal Plan For Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. (Easy-As Gluten Free Recipes)

7. The ABC's of Gluten-Free: Eating for a Gluten-Free Lifestyle, Celiac Edition

8. Vegetable Container Gardening: 7 Easy Steps To Healthy Harvests from Small Spaces

9. Living a Gluten Free Life - A Beginners Guide to Gluten Free Diets

10. Delicious Paleo Lunches: 50 Quick & Easy Healthy Lunch Recipes (Delicious Paleo Recipes)

Remember - these books are only free for a limited time (usually 24 hours), so if any of these titles interest you, I'd be clicking through to download them now! If you don't have a kindle, then you can still download these books free when you Download a Free Kindle Reader.

I'd love to hear from you - what freebies have you found recently?

Disclosure - this post contains affiliate links.

12 Unique Ways To Get Your Kids To Eat Cauliflower

2013-04-05T13:57:00.001+11:00

Recently on Facebook, I shared this Mashed Cauliflower Recipe from my archives and received a comment from a reader about her family enjoying Cauliflower Pizza Crust. That inspired me to create this post for you - 10 Unique Ways To Get Your Kids To Eat Cauliflower. (By the way, I'd love you to Follow Me On Facebook!)

To be honest, cauliflower is one of my LEAST favorite vegetables, so this post is as much for MY benefit as for the kids. I know cauliflower is an incredibly nutritious vegetable and try to include it in my diet, as well as the kids. So - these unique recipes serve as inspiration to increase the whole families cauliflower intake!

Without further ado, here are 12 Unique Ways To Get Your Kids To Eat Cauliflower:

1. Mashed Cauliflower is an incredibly delicious mashed potato alternative, and with a little coconut milk mixed through, it becomes a sweet and nourishing dish.

2. Cheesy Cauliflower & Broccoli Bake is simple and nutritious and the whole family absolutely loves. If your kids are fans of baked macaroni and cheese then they will love this!

3. Cauliflower Rice can simply be made by grating a head of cauliflower into a pot of stock and cooked until soft. It's a nutritious rice alternative which can actually be mixed through rice to entice a picky eater to give it a try.

4. Bolognese, burgers and meatloaf are all excellent opportunities to get a few cauliflower florets into if your kids are picky and tend to avoid cauliflower.

5. Cauliflower can be grated into Scrambled Egg or Pancake Batter and become hidden well enough to not be detected by picky kids.

6. Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Soup from Life Sanity is a delicious way to blend cauliflower in with a sweeter vegetable.

7. Not Potato Latkes from Real Food Forager is a supremely nutritious version of much loved, usually potato, Latkes.

8. Cauliflower Wraps from Empowered Sustenance would be a handy lunch box inclusion for the kids in place of regular wraps.

9. Grain Free Cauliflower Crusted Pizza from Holistic Squid shows you how to make a pizza crust using cooked, mashed cauliflower.

10. Roasted Cauliflower With Parmesan from Kelly The Kitchen Kop sounds comforting and a nutritious dish the kids are sure to love.

11. Faux "Oat" Meal from Healthy Living How To - means you can get your kids to consume cauliflower for breakfast!

12. Cauliflower Cheese Souffle from Homemade Mommy is an inventive use of cauliflower and one I can't wait to try!

I'd love to hear from you! How does your family enjoy Cauliflower?

Sharing at: Fight Back Friday; Tasty Traditions; What I Whipped Up Wednesday; Wow Me Wednesday; Wildcrafting Wednesday; Your Whims Wednesday; Healthy 2Day Wednesdays; Gluten Free Wednesdays; Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways; Allergy Free Wednesdays; WFMW;

2 Ingredient Cashew Pancakes

2013-04-03T17:27:00.002+11:00

These 2 Ingredient Cashew Pancakes came about when I ran out of almond flour and the kids wanted pancakes... I only had cashews on hand (which had already been soaked and dehydrated to make them easier to digest) so I had the idea to grind the cashews in my mini food processor and use them in place of almonds. The substitution worked perfectly and the kids loved them!

These pancakes are grain free, gluten free and dairy free, so they are perfect if any of your family members suffer from allergies or are following The GAPS Diet.

2 Ingredient Cashew Pancakes
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Cashew Nuts

1. Grind 1/2 cup of cashews in a mini food processor until they form a fine flour.
2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl until smooth.
3. Mix the ground cashews into the beaten eggs and mix until a pancake batter forms.
4. Heat a little coconut oil, butter or ghee (depending on your preference) in a large frying pan.
5. When hot, carefully drop a tablespoon of pancake batter for each pancake.
6. Cook until set then flip the pancakes over and cook until both sides are golden and cooked.
7. Once cooked, remove from the pan and serve as is or drizzled with honey and topped with nuts.

Makes 12

The newest addition to my (growing) cookbook collection is the newly launched Grain Free Breads, Snacks and Desserts. It contains 90+ Gluten Free and Grain Free recipes for breads, muffins, rolls, cookies, cakes, snacks and treats. Click here to download Grain Free Breads, Snacks and Desserts now.The kids have been LOVING the cookies I've been baking from this book and I'm sure yours will love the sweet treats too!

Disclosure - this post contains affiliate links.